Coronation Street star and comedian Roy Hudd dies aged 83 with his wife Debbie at his side
- Croydon-born Roy Hudd started out as a Red Coat at Butlin’s Clacton in Essex
- He had varied career in television and comedy that ran for more than 60 years
- Married Hudd was also an authority on the history of music hall entertainment
- Made final TV appearance as recently as last July as a patient in BBC’s Casualty
Coronation Street actor and comedian Roy Hudd has died at the age of 83 with his wife Debbie by his side.
Hudd started out as a Red Coat at Butlin’s Clacton on the Essex coast before a varied career in television and comedy that ran for more than 60 years.
He was also an authority on the history of music hall entertainment and made his final TV appearance as recently as last July as a patient in the BBC’s Casualty.
Roy Hudd and his wife Debbie arrive at All Hallows Church in Tillington, West Sussex, for the funeral of actress June Whitfield on January 18, 2019
Roy Hudd with presenter Bradley Walsh on ITV game show The Chase in August 2017
Roy Hudd as Henry Ormonroyd with Rosemary Ashe as Lottie Grady in When We Are Married at The Garrick Theatre in London in October 2010
Hudd’s agent said today: ‘We are sad to announce the passing of the much-loved and amazingly talented Roy Hudd OBE.
‘After a short illness, Roy passed away peacefully on the afternoon of Sunday March 15, with his wife Debbie at his side.
‘The family would ask you to respect their privacy at this very sad time.’
Hudd, who was born in Croydon, South London, in 1936, made his professional debut as a comedian in 1957 at the Streatham Hill Theatre.
In 1958, he joined the Redcoats at Butlin’s Clacton and worked alongside Sir Cliff Richard and Dave Allen.
Actors Roy Hudd as Edward McKeever and Patricia Routledge as Laura Partridge in a staging of 1950s comedy The Solid Gold Cadillac at The Garrick Theatre in London in September 2004
Hudd holds his OBE for services to entertainment at Buckingham Palace in February 2004
Hudd plays Archie Shuttleworth with Sue Nicholls as Audrey Roberts and Brian Capron as Richard Hillman in Coronation Street in June 2002
Across a varied career he appeared in Call The Midwife, Midsomer Murders and Holby City.
In 2017 he appeared in ITV’s Broadchurch and in 2019 made an appearance as a patient in the BBC’s Casualty.
Hudd wrote several books on music hall, re-recorded and restored old music hall records, and appeared in a revival show called The Good Old Days.
He was the longstanding president of the British Music Hall Society, and chose the genre as his specialist subject when he appeared on Celebrity Mastermind in 2014.
Sherlock, and Dracula writer Mark Gatiss paid tribute to Hudd with a message on Twitter saying: ‘Farewell to the wonderful Roy Hudd.
‘A great comic and actor. One of those joyous people who feel like they’ve been with us forever.
‘He was in a ‘Randall & Hopkirk’ I wrote with Jeremy Dyson and improvised the band’s sign off as ‘Jock Strap and his Two Swingers there!’ RIP Maestro.’
Comedy writer Simon Blackwell tweeted: ‘Very sad indeed to hear that Roy Hudd has died. A really lovely bloke, a great comedian, excellent straight actor.
‘And a comedy historian too. I got my start in comedy writing via his Radio 2 show The News Huddlines. He was a total joy to write for. All good wishes to his family.’
And a spokesman for the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre added: ‘We are all saddened to hear of the passing of Roy Hudd.
‘Roy appeared on our stage several times, with his most recent role in A Woman of No Importance last October / November. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this difficult time’.
And, making reference to the coronavirus pandemic, actor Oliver Maltman tweeted: ‘ Farewell, Roy Hudd. Your timing, as ever, is impeccable. Couldn’t have chosen a better time to duck out.’